Welcome to another inspiring writing challenge—this time with a dark twist.
We’ve all seen villains play the role of the enemy, the destroyer, the one who needs to be stopped. But what if we paused and asked ourselves, What happened to them? No one is born a villain. Every monster had a beginning—and today, that’s what we’ll explore.
The Challenge: Rewrite a Villain’s Origin Story
Choose a well-known villain—from any form of media—and imagine the story that wasn’t told. Go beyond the battles and schemes to the quiet, devastating moment that turned them.
You’re not here to justify their choices, but to understand them. Paint their pain, their dreams that soured, the betrayal that twisted their heart. Show us the human beneath the darkness.
Example: The Untold Pain of Ursula (The Little Mermaid)
In Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Ursula is the sea witch who tricks Ariel and tries to steal the throne. But what if she wasn’t always the outcast?
Imagine this: Ursula was once a powerful sea mage—respected, admired, and even a beloved advisor to the royal family. She and King Triton were once close, two opposites who balanced the ocean’s rule—light and shadow in harmony.
But the kingdom feared her magic, especially when her spells began to bend the very tides. Whispers of jealousy spread. Triton, under pressure from his advisors and fearing what the court would think, cast her out—not because she was evil, but because she was different.
Heartbroken, betrayed by someone she once loved or trusted, Ursula created her own domain out of the broken pieces of her past. Her “wickedness” wasn’t born from greed, but from grief and a desire to reclaim the voice and power that was taken from her.
Tips to Shape Your Villain’s Fall
- Make it personal. Let their downfall come from something intimate—betrayal, grief, humiliation—not just ambition.
- Use contrasts. Show who they were before—joyful, hopeful, naive—and what they became. That contrast creates emotional weight.
- Give them one moment of choice. Was there a point where they could’ve turned back? Did they make a deal? Abandon someone? Choose vengeance?
- Use sensory details. Show us the cold stone floor beneath them when they were cast out, the sound of silence after their cries were ignored.
Write and Reflect
Here’s how to participate in the #VillainOriginChallenge:
- Pick your villain.
- Write a short story, character diary entry, or dramatic scene that shows how they became who they are.
- Reflect: What was the moment that changed everything? How does that pain still shape them?
- Optional: Share on your blog or socials and tag it #VillainOriginChallenge.
Prompt for You:
What if the villain never wanted power—only to be seen, heard, and accepted—and the world turned its back on them first?
What villain will you rewrite? Drop their name in the comments and tell us what really made them fall.
Because sometimes, the greatest tragedies are the ones no one ever bothered to ask about.
Happy Writing ^_^
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